Giving up alcohol for vanity?

[VanityWitch]

So, I'm thinking of going teetotal, yes, for my health, but mainly because I am terribly vain and my skin is crap at the moment and my sleep quality is also crap. I don't drink much, as in, I tend to only drink at weekends plus one week night, so Friday, Saturday and Sunday or Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, for example. Usually one or two glasses of wine. Not bucketfuls, but not thimbles either! So I guess that is a bottle of wine a week?

I'm sure by MN standards this makes me either a raging alcoholic or a puritanical stick in the mud, but you know.

Anyway, I'm planning to quit as an experiment, to see if I glow!

Is anyone thinking of doing similar? Would anyone like to join me on here to document our journey to glowage?

Hi there! I would love to join please! Great to hear from people that have seen improvements! I want to be one of you. I’ve been drinking wayyyy too much it’s been creeping up since lockdown 1 and now I can drink a lot (I’m too embarrassed to say how much) and not even get a hangover but my skin looks so dull and i have a bit of a tummy now plus really bad sleep quality due to the drink. Will post here to make me do it and see others success!

@Glitterandglow

Yeah we can all motivate one another.

Great @Readingandrighting let’s do this! My day one starts today!!

On the wagon again. I had cracked 5 days ago but on the straight and narrow ever since.
I also am trying to get back into intermittent fasting which I had been loving last year but which took a wobble in the last few weeks.
I definitely feel I looked instantly better this morning due to a)a good eight and a half hours sleep b) no booze c)no eating later in the day/ evening.
All these are rare for me of late, so the change in the mirror was noticeable. Or maybe it just felt that way? Which is also fine by me!
Looking good and feeling good are so connected.

I haven't read the other replies but I have not drunk since NYE mainly because I've a) got a masters degree to study b) home schooling although my daughters got their online lessons up and running mid week so that could calm down c) normal paid work and d) I really like to run and spin (at home) so I just haven't actually had any time to drink as it really affects my sleep too. I'm not sure my skin is better as the weather had made it dry and I did drink a lot of coffee this week (water loads but maybe not quite enough)

I was going to post yesterday saying how I had lost 4 lbs and looked and felt absolutely glowing, and then - completely out of boredom (which I didn't cure) fell of the wagon.

And today I look and feel grey and worn and dry and thoroughly unattractive. I will get back on again now

So I have gone from 11 stone 7 to 10 stone 10 in 17 days

Mostly water no doubt but I think it's just all the disgusting chocolate/crisps/nuts/cake I devour whilst drinking that has made the difference.

Sleeping much better now...

Congrats @BlueSussex

Wow @BlueSussex - that’s amazing!

Thanks - it's quite embarrassing really

I used to barely eat all day, then start drinking between 5 and 6 and eat non stop until bed time!!

I am now "normal" BMI for the first time in years. It does make me wonder why the hell I did it!!

My eating and drinking and completely interlinked like yours. Well done to stick to it.

Joining. Aim is not to stop completely, but to just have a couple of glasses a week instead of every night. It used to be one a night but it has crept up! This thread is inspiring!

@BlueSussex, that’s amasing well done

I have reduced my drinking to 2 glasses on a Saturday and feel so much better for it. I think my skin is glowier, but might imagining it. I sleep so much better and just have more energy. I might reduce down to one glass only as I felt more tired when I woke Sunday but I can’t quite let that one glass go.

Day 1 alcohol-free here. @Cecily42 that’s great you can moderate so well. 2 glasses once a week would be great. I’ve never quite mastered moderation.

Help, why aren't I losing weight???
Gave up drinking 2 weeks ago, and at the same time cut calorie intake down to an average of 1400 per day. I HAVE NOT LOST A SINGLE POUND! I am so disillusioned and feel like I may as well start drinking again.
Before anyone suggests that I'm not tracking my calories properly or am eating cakes/biscuits/crisps etc instead of drinking, this is not the case. I am logging calories for every cup of tea, soft drink, meal etc. I am an experienced calorie-counter, and know all about portion size etc. I have definitely only consumed (food AND drinks) 1400 calories per day.

Does anyone have any words of encouragement? Is my metabolism adjusting or something? Over xmas (and before/after) I was drinking a bottle of wine a day and not calorie-counting and I didn't gain any weight, so why am I now not losing it?

Also, my skin still looks crap, and my eyes aren't shining yet. Very demoralised. How much time will it take to see improvements?

So envious of BlueSussex losing 11lbs in 17 days - well done though.

@VanityWitch how’s it going? Are you a glowing, super fit, clear skinned, teetotal wench yet!?!

@EyesWithAFace give it a couple more weeks I am a persistent non shifter for 6 weeks and then suddenly it comes off - keep going!!!

Day 19.....resting heart rate has now dropped a whopping 11 beats per minute. I know this thread is about vanity but I'm amazed by this unexpected side effect. I'm sleeping between 8-9 hours a night and just feeling generally like a new person.

@EyesWithAFace I am exactly the same. I thought stopping my bottle of wine a day calories would mean the weight falling off me. I haven’t replaced those calories with anything. I am clinging onto hope I will have a delayed reaction

Eyeswithaface someone at the start of the thread says it takes about six months. I’m hoping it won’t be that long, but maybe some of us take longer to metabolise. I’ve saved around 7,000 calories according to my app and the weight is still not falling off.

Well done Reading! I can’t do moderation either. A glass of wine just opens a craving valve somewhere inside me.

Fiftysixth that’s amazing. My heart rate has come down 9 bpm. It was that (and the underchin booze hammock) which motivated me to stop.

@EyesWithAFace

I’d advise drinking liquid all day long. It seems to keep the belly happy ... this isn’t scientific but it’s been my experience.

poopyface, FoxandFeathers and Bomblette - I'm hoping something will happen in the next few weeks, but I just can't understand the logic of why weight doesn't instantly drop off on 1400 cals/day AND no booze. It's just not right or fair!

Readingandrighting - I do drink a lot of tea (no sugar, and keeping track of the milk calories) during the day. I must try drinking more plain water, but really, I'm consuming fewer calories than I'm expending, so why isn't the science working???? So frustrating.

@EyesWithAFace

Are you eating many sugary treats within your 1400 calories? Not all calories are created equal imho ...

Failing that, how’s your thyroid?

No, I'm not eating sugary treats with my tea, just the tea on its own. I really am being good! Think I might start full-on low-carbing next week, to see if that kickstarts anything - I agree that not all calories are created equal.
Think my thyroid is OK - I had it checked a few years ago but I suppose things might have changed (menopause more advanced for example).

Besides the lack of weight loss, I'm also (unpleasantly) surprised that I still feel crap and skin/hair/general mood haven't improved. Still having daily headaches on day 17.
I will stick with it though - something's got to give soon, surely????

I think it will come in time Eyes. Not processing alcohol should give your body more energy to repair itself so that you start to see improvements slowly. I mean it can’t hurt, can it!

My Fitbit scale is now disputing the 2lb I thought I’d lost - renegotiating it down to 1lb, the bastard. So I’m definitely telling myself it will come in time!

1/5th of the way through my 100 day goal, though, so I’m happy about that.